


Our Stories

by morningssofgold



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Psychological Trauma, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:21:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24778312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morningssofgold/pseuds/morningssofgold
Summary: All of the things he’d seen. All of the things he’d done and were done to him, the mistakes he’d made–those things were there and perhaps they always would be but that pain, that trauma, that heartache and loss could never compare to this. Happiness was nice but happiness could be taken away. This was joy and joy was forever.In which Malcolm realizes that there's no instruction guide to healing. It goes little by little and through the good days and the bad.A multi-chaptered fic
Relationships: Malcolm Bright / Dani Powell
Comments: 6
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Orchard](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23670883) by [morningssofgold](https://archiveofourown.org/users/morningssofgold/pseuds/morningssofgold). 



> _I feel like like there might be something that I'll miss_   
>  _Hopelessly_   
>  _I feel like the window closes oh so quick_   
>  _Hopelessly_   
>  _I'm taking a mental picture of you now_   
>  _'Cause hopelessly_   
>  _The hope is we have so much to feel good about_
> 
> Good Life // OneRepublic

Dani laid on the examination table feeling the strangest sense of deja-vu. Every time she’d ever been here, her husband sat on the now empty chair beside her, holding her hand. Honestly, coming here probably wasn’t necessary but she had to put her mind at ease.

She’d been feeling _really_ tired lately. She was usually tired with the way they worked, then coming home to chase after her love bugs–mini Malcolms who kept her on her toes constantly. 

As tired as she was, she was also getting headaches which she never got and nausea. Spending as much time around corpses as she did, Dani was used to unpleasant smells but the other day, the smell of Edrisa’s breakfast burrito had almost sent her over the edge–supreme irritation and the urge to vomit had nearly gotten the best of her.

Dani knew then that something wasn’t quite right with her and here she was in Dr. Wallace’s office, the same man who’d delivered both Zahra and Asa. She hadn’t told her husband that she was going to the doctor’s because she didn’t want him to worry. 

She didn’t know exactly what was wrong with her but she needed to cross this one thing off the list first before talking to Malcolm as she was pretty sure she was just exhausted.

Dani slowly lifted her eyes to the ultrasound monitor expecting to see her suspicions confirmed–only they weren’t. 

As the doctor moved the transducer over her flat stomach, a slow realization set in that her body had an occupant once again.

 _Goddamnit Bright_ , Dani groaned internally. The spa room. On the one night that she’d gotten a chance to relax and take some time to herself, Malcolm had finagled his way inside–quite literally–and left her with a baby. She wanted to kill him.

––––––––––––––––––

Dani remembered when Zahra and Asa had spent the day with them at the precinct as they’d missed drop off time again and the two had begged her and Malcolm to go home with Grandpa, which they never minded if Grandpa wanted them. Gil absolutely loving any chance to spend extra time with his Baby Brights obliged.

She’d made her way to the spa room, this incredibly fancy bathroom Malcolm had designed with the sole purpose of her being able to relax as she so rarely did outside of her bimonthly pedicures, despite him always pushing her to take some time for herself.

Jessica and Ainsley had invited her on their spa days but she’d politely declined as a deep tissue massage would not relax her. Anyone touching her body like that other than her husband would get punched in the face and Malcolm having been on the receiving end of one of her punches in the past had gently told his mother and sister not to force the issue.

That said, when Malcolm had designed their home, he’d decided to bring the spa to her. A room that appeared to be outside without actually being outside due to all of the greenery inside of it–giving it a distinctly botanical feel. As beautiful as the room was, Dani had been more than a little weirded out that she’d be disrobing somewhere with floor to ceiling windows.

“The house sits on two acres. No one’s gonna see you–except me, of course,” Malcolm grinned cheekily.

“That is if I let you.” Dani responded with narrowed eyes as her husband had said the quiet part out loud. He planned to get just as much enjoyment out of this room as she did. It hadn’t escaped her notice that the little heated tile and rock path that led to an elaborate shower set up and the massive tub behind it was more than big enough for two.

She honestly should’ve known better, but it hadn’t occurred to her as she’d stripped out of her leather leggings and the sheer black top that she’d worn to the cute winery in nearby Washingtonville that was apparently the oldest in the country after Malcolm had suggested they take full advantage of a night to themselves. 

Dani had been thrilled at the idea of a date with her husband that wasn’t one of the stuffy charity events Jessica frequently strong-armed them into attending _and_ the possibility of relaxing after.

Crushing a Lush Bubble Bar underneath the faucet, Dani inhaled deeply, enjoying the sweet and spicy scent of sandalwood, fresh pear and clove that filled the room. She slipped into the tub, sighing as the frothy, fragrant bubbles came up to her shoulders. 

As much as Dani adored her love bugs to the moon and back, it was nice to be able to spend time on herself without wondering just what kind of mayhem was happening just outside the door.

She tipped her head back, resting it against the edge of the tub sighing contentedly–that is until she heard clothes hitting the floor.

 _Of course._

She didn’t even get a chance to put on her favorite anti-aging sheet mask–a must with two babies and a thirty something who tended to act like one–and cucumber under eye patches all because Daddy had decided that _he_ wanted fun time too.

“Bright, what are you doing?” Dani asked, already knowing the answer but waiting for whatever half-baked explanation he’d give her. 

As Dani had found out the hard way, her husband was insanely good at sneaking in and out of places and she should’ve known a closed door wouldn’t stop him.

“What do you mean? I’ve had a long day too.” Malcolm replied innocently as she felt him settle in the tub. 

Dani’s lips flattened into a tight line. Nothing spa-related would _ever_ relax her husband but business sure would. She knew what he was here for.

Dani slowly opened her eyes, only to see Malcolm’s shit-eating grin across from her. A smile that always let her know when he was up to no good. “Bright, I wanna relax.”

“I can help with that.” Malcolm smirked as he attempted to come closer before she stopped him. Her foot pressed against his well-defined chest. Her black painted toenails stark against his pale skin.

Reaching to her left to the towel shelf, Dani passed him the little container of her favorite body scrub. “Take care of me, for a change.” 

Dani knew that might have been the wrong choice of words as she took in the roguish glint in her husband’s nearly translucent eyes, especially as she watched him run his fingers along her calf before softly kissing the ball of her foot.

Malcolm leaned forward as he gently turned her around, bringing her closer to him. The vanilla and bergamot scent of the scrub should’ve calmed her–it usually did but the feeling of Malcolm’s palms and the gentle friction of the Himalayan salt crystals beneath them against her back was doing anything but.

“ _Bright, what are you doing?_ ” Dani looked over her shoulder at him suspiciously. She was being set up, she _knew_ it.

Malcolm didn’t answer as he intently moved his hands up and down her back, up and over her arms and shoulders. Thinking her husband really had done what she asked, Dani slowly eased into him as she felt him bring the warm water over her, washing away the salts. 

“I think it worked,” Malcolm murmured against her wet skin, appreciating his handiwork and the smoothness he’d left behind as his lips pressed to that space in between her shoulder blades. His palms flat against her lower back, gliding along her waist, her hips. His fingers kneading–pressing. “What do you think?”

Coherent thoughts weren’t really coming to her mind at that moment as her husband trailed kisses along her shoulders and up her neck, each open mouthed and lingering longer than the last. A shiver running through her at the feeling of his stubble scraping against her.

Dani wondered just how he’d managed to do this so easily, especially as one hand gently reached over her shoulder, bringing her face closer to his as he kissed her slowly and imploringly, taking the air she breathed into his lungs.

As easily finessed as Malcolm was, Dani was beginning to wonder if he wasn’t the only one, especially as she looked up at him, her eyes half lidded as she watched him pull back ever so slightly, playfully dragging her lip between his teeth before kissing her again.

“ _Bright_ ,” Dani hated how insistent her voice sounded as she slowly turned around to face him fully giving him exactly what he came here for as her forehead pressed against his, the temperature in the room seeming to rise all at once. She wasn’t much for teasing–that was what _he_ liked–when she wanted something, she _wanted_ it. Her husband wrapped his arms around her, bringing them chest to chest. His prize unlocked and Dani tasted Malcolm’s soft laughter as he _knew_.

–––––––––––––––

“Okay, so I don’t wanna sound foolish but when you deliver this baby, is there any way you can take the baby making parts too while you’re at it?” Dani asked, her mind leaving the spa room and refocusing on the ultrasound.

The kindly gray haired doctor chuckled. “We can do that. It’ll be a different process than with your previous two children as this one will have to be delivered by cesarian section. The recovery time will be longer and of course, you’ll likely experience stronger hormonal changes but I can assure you, you’ll be in the best of hands. My staff and I will do absolutely everything we can to make this as smooth as possible.”

Dani nodded a little woodenly. Her life–one that had finally reached an equilibrium–had just turned upside down _again_.

She glanced down at her left hand. The vintage emerald and diamond ring that Malcolm had surprised her with about a month ago, taking the place of her engagement ring with its now double-digit carat count that was far too extravagant for every day, catching her attention. _“…with this ring that has been in my family for well over a century, I want to show you–all of you–how committed I am to the choice I made to receive love and compassion from the only person who has ever given it to me.”_

Malcolm had gotten down on one knee to “propose” again at the orchard near the Catskills that they’d taken the kids to for apple picking. The ring he’d given her was absolutely beautiful and Dani loved how it symbolized a commitment to continually strengthen the bond they’d formed over five years ago but as she looked up at the monitor, it appeared that they’d already been doing that.

There was nothing that symbolized the love that existed between the two of them more than their children. As shocked as she was, Dani couldn’t help but think that the addition of their third one–their _last_ one–epitomized a recommitment to each other.

–––––––––––––––––––––

Pulling up to the precinct, Malcolm didn’t see her matte black Range Rover. Dani always got to work before him as he usually took the kids to daycare. Waze hadn’t alerted him of any unusual traffic situations or accidents and Dani was never late to work not when they left the house together. 

Hopping out of his gunmetal Bentley Continental, Malcolm gathered his work bag before calling his wife. He went straight to voicemail. 

Malcolm could feel the dread inching up his spine. Something was wrong. Dani didn’t keep things from him. Malcolm remembered what it felt like to be deceived and lied to and Dani would _never_ and had _never_ done that to him but Malcolm still couldn’t help but wonder if the other shoe was finally about to drop–if the sun he'd been living in was finally going down, banishing him back into the darkness he’d lived in before her.

 _We’ll talk when I get to work, babe_ , Dani’s text read right as he was entering the precinct. At least, he knew she was safe but the fact that they had to talk made him incredibly anxious. He hadn’t noticed anything different about his wife. She’d kissed him good morning as she always did right as she woke up before getting the kids up.

Her behavior was the same, Dani was happy as he could always tell she wasn’t so Malcolm was almost sure _he_ hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Wesley and Amina Price were found dead in their Upper West Side penthouse this morning. COD is still to be determined,” Gil said, completely no-nonsense, pushing the case file into Malcolm’s hands before he’d even stepped foot into the conference room.

His boss gave him a ton of leeway but the one thing Gil did ask is that the moment he walked through the doors of the precinct, he became _Bright_ and Dani became _Powell_ again–the partners who were the best at what they did–not the couple who tended to appear in the society pages. Meaning, home stayed at home. 

Malcolm would try to focus on this murder and not every single worst case scenario filling his mind about his wife and his marriage.

“I’m gonna need you to go down to the crime lab, scope ‘em out in person and maybe try to tell us what we’re looking for.”

“I’m on it,” Malcolm mumbled, looking at the CSU photos knowing he wouldn’t have an answer for what had befallen their victims until he saw them in person.

Gil nodded as he sipped his coffee. “JT and I are going talk to their daughter, Christine, to get more info. Brief Powell when she gets here, she had something to do this morning but obviously you knew that.”

Malcolm actually didn’t and he tried not to let it show.

–––––––––––––––––

Walking out of the precinct, Malcolm saw Dani pulling in, parking right in front of the Bentley like always. He watched Dani slip her badge and holstered gun on her hip before grabbing her purse out of the back seat. 

In her gray v-neck, high waisted black jeans, leather jacket and combat boots she looked like the Detective Powell he’d always known. Everything seemed normal but Malcolm couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t.

“Dani! What’s going on? Is everything okay?” She looked up to see her husband rushing towards her, concern and anxiety evident in his pale eyes. 

This was why she hadn’t told Malcolm about how she’d been feeling lately or that she was going to the doctor. Dani knew that any deviation from their normal, he’d automatically assume the worst. She understood why as she’d known him long enough to know that the worst had already happened to him–many times. 

Dani sighed internally. She was pretty sure that being a little over an hour late to work, Malcolm had probably assumed she was somewhere getting divorce papers drafted up. “Yeah, babe. I’m okay…I’m pregnant but okay.”

Malcolm heaved a sigh of relief as he squeezed her shoulders. “That’s good, I was _so_ worried.” Dani counted the seconds before it took the Big Brain to process the rest of her statement. 3…2… “ _Wait, what?_ ”

Malcolm’s eyes widened as his heart started to beat in double time. He didn’t just hear what he _thought_ he did. Dani nodded, a little smile pulling at the edge of her rose painted lips.

“ _How?_ ” Dani just stared at him, her eyes narrowing. On second thought, Malcolm was pretty clear on the how. He remembered the night he had interrupted her plans to relax. “…The spa room. Okay, yeah that was on me but _are you sure?_ ”

“I was at the doctor this morning…five weeks along.” Dani finished, looking up at her husband who still looked like a particularly strong wind could knock him down. 

“This is…happening…again.” Malcolm whispered, shock still etched on his face.

Dani laughed a bit, smiling as she nodded once more. “It definitely is.” She reached inside of her oversized black Celine bag, producing an ultrasound photo–the very first of what would be many–handing it to him.

Her heart swelled with the love that never failed to steal her breath away growing even more as Malcolm took the photo from her, their fingertips brushing as he smiled her favorite smile. The one that made his eyes crinkle cutely in the corners–that same smile he’d passed on to their son. 

Malcolm looked back up at her. Happiness and wonder shining through those ice clear eyes of his as they began to well. Putting the ultrasound photo in his bag for safekeeping, he placed his palms flat against Dani’s stomach, hoping their new little one could feel how excited Daddy was to meet him or her already. “I love you–both of you–so much,” he kissed his wife’s forehead.

“We love you too,” Dani smiled up at him, suddenly coming to the realization that their beautiful vow renewal trip wouldn’t be happening for quite some time. “So...I guess this means Bali has been postponed.”

Malcolm laughed, a shaky but undeniably joyful sound. “Yeah…but I honestly can’t think of a better reason why.”

Hearing him say such a thing did more for her than he knew because she remembered the very first time she’d broken this type of news to him. She was so worried about how he’d react, if it would send him down a spiral she wouldn't be able to get him out of.

Martin had warped her husband’s conception of what it meant to be a father and despite how gentle and loving Malcolm was–the things she saw everyday– _he_ didn’t think about that. He instead thought about the person who took antipsychotics and benzodiazepines. The person with night terrors and wrist restraints. Someone he believed couldn’t be trusted to raise a child.

But he’d surprised her then by immediately dropping to his knees, kissing her stomach and introducing himself to Zahra–his sweetheart–for the first time. So much had changed for them since then but one thing remained the same, Malcolm _always_ had room in his heart for one more.

Even before they’d gotten together in the midst of problems that had looked impossible to solve, Dani knew Malcolm had more to give. Yes, there had been lies, mixed signals and inconsistencies but there were also times when he’d chosen to show her _more_.

She’d taken a leap of faith in believing that Malcolm wasn’t the person he’d shown her then–that he was the person who held her hand and reassured her as she fell apart and not the man who’d eroded her trust as he went running to someone who could _never_ give him what he needed.

Every day, Dani was glad she did because every day, she woke up next to the person she always knew he could be.

––––––––––––––––

Malcolm stared up at the white board. The official cause of death for their two victims was still unknown even as he’d visited the crime lab to diagnose the situation in person. Upon further inspection, he noticed two small puncture wounds on the back of both of their necks. They were still waiting for the tox screen, but he had a feeling this case was about to get weird. It was a good thing weird was what he did best.

The more he stared, the more his mind drifted to something he’d rather not think about. He remembered awhile ago, destroying this very same whiteboard only he’d been staring at CSU photos of his ex-girlfriend.

Dani had been there. She’d been trying to comfort him in that soft, soothing way of hers. She’d been trying to tell him that him being able to find the person who’d done it mattered. She’d been trying to help but something about that enraged him.

The only person who’d shown him any sort of physical affection was just murdered and he didn’t want what seemed like pity from the person whose physical affection _he_ would’ve died to have. He didn’t want the sweetness and care he believed Dani would’ve showed to anyone who needed it because she was just that kind–that _good_. He’d wanted more from her but he had no idea how to get it.

His anger, grief and frustration coalesced into something childish and probably scary. His back had been turned to her but he knew what he did. He knew how Dani had reacted–how she _flinched_ –and out of all of the terrible mistakes he’d made with her, that was the one that stayed with him even now. The one he would never stop trying to make up for.

Malcolm thought about then and he thought about now, especially as he heard Dani’s soft footsteps come up behind him just as they did then. The difference was that instead of misguidedly grieving for someone who’d done nothing but hurt him, he was turning to face the woman who was carrying his third child. 

He didn’t deserve Dani–he never would but every day he vowed to get a little closer.

Shaking his head as if to physically clear away the rumination rabbit hole he’d just gone down, Malcolm looked at Dani. “I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out.”

Dani gave him a funny look before looking at the board. “We got the case this morning, you’ll figure it out. You always do.”

“No, not about the case.” Malcolm waved a hand dismissively. “About you. How did I not suspect anything, I mean this has happened twice before…”

“Well for starters, I wasn’t projectile vomiting or laying on the bathroom floor wishing for death.” 

“True but this morning I watched you eat mango with Tajin seasoning instead of Avocado toast…how did I not see it? I mean, I’m a profiler for God sake. You think I’m losing my touch?” Malcolm asked, genuinely mulling it over.

“No, honey bun, I think your touch is just fine,” Dani smirked as Malcolm scrunched his nose at her before wrapping her up from behind, his hands resting her her stomach.

“Sorry for knocking you up again,” Malcolm murmured into her hair. Dani rolled her eyes as she could hear the smile in his voice. He wasn’t sorry at all.

Gil cleared his throat, crossing his arms from the doorway. They were about to have a meeting where Bright presented his profile or however much of it he had but instead he was doing this.

Bright knew the rules but young man Gil had all but raised did all he could to test the limits of rules–some of them actually laws. Gil wasn’t surprised to see Bright breaking his no PDA rule especially since Bright broke it every day, completely unable to keep his hands or lips to himself whenever his wife–Gil’s lead detective–came within three feet of him.

“Can’t you let it slide just this once?” Bright asked smirking, but making no attempt to let Powell take her customary seat atop the conference room table as he rested his chin in the crook of her neck. 

Gil’s eyes slid to Bright’s hands which were resting on his wife’s stomach and not inappropriately on her hips as they usually were. It didn’t take a detective as seasoned as Gil to figure out what was happening or what would happen in approximately nine months time as he’d seen this very thing twice before with them.

“I think _Grandpa_ can do that.” Gil said with a grin.


	2. Chapter 2

Malcolm looked up to see his wife tip toeing into his study in the fluffy pink robe with the little butterflies all over it that Zahra had gifted her with just because she thought it was pretty and Mommy should have it.

“Are you comin’ to bed or do I already know the answer to that?” Dani asked with a quirked brow, leaning against his heavy Walnut desk. Her hands cradling her five months pregnant belly.

“I…have a few work things to take care of.” Malcolm said smoothly not wanting to voice the anxious thoughts that had been circling around in his mind with greater frequency lately.

“You wouldn’t lie to a pregnant girl, would you?” Dani tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. Malcolm sighed, his wife saw right through him–she always did. 

She came closer, pulling him by the hand and leading him to one of the leather couches in the room. “What’s going on, babe?” Dani draped her legs in his lap.

Malcolm looked down, a self-deprecating smile twisting his lips as he idly massaged one of her feet. “Aren’t you tired of me wigging out each time this happens?”

“If you’re wigging out, I want you to tell me why,” Dani replied as her big brown eyes filled with concern. She’d been through this twice before with him and each time, Malcolm wished he could share in her joy without being haunted by the things he couldn’t escape.

“I don’t know…I just keep thinking about _she’ll_ be like…” Malcolm admitted trailing off. Once they found out that they were having another girl, all he saw every time he closed his eyes was his sister’s shell shocked, blood splattered face as the nearly beheaded corpse of Nicholas Endicott lay at her feet.

Malcolm had never judged his sister for what she’d done to a man who’d come into their lives with the intent of terrorizing them. He himself had done things that had no name, but he couldn’t imagine himself doing _that_. His wife knew about twelve different ways to kill a person all without the use of her hands but he couldn’t imagine her doing _that_ either.

 _That_ didn't exist in Zahra–his baby girl who was made entirely of mischief and light–but Malcolm wondered if it _would_ exist in their new little girl. He felt terrible but in the deepest recesses of his heart, he wondered in earnest if the little girl he’d hold in his arms in a few more months would be more _Ainsley_ than _Dani_. Trauma manifested itself in different ways and he wondered if he’d somehow doomed their youngest to a life of inescapable darkness.

“I can’t stop thinking about that night and all of the blood and…” Malcolm trailed off quietly, not only seeing Ainsley’s slaughter–how he stood frozen as she stabbed the man in the chest over and over again–but also his father gleefully gouging out a man’s eyes right in front of him less than a day prior. Years have gone by but the pain was still the same. It grew fresh with each possibility of bringing another _Whitly_ into the world as that violence was apart of him. “Dani…I’ve seen what the darkness does.”

“I know, Bright and so have I,” Dani said softly as Malcolm forced himself to meet the dark eyes that had shown him love before he'd even known what to do with it. “And despite that, we’re raising the two _best_ kids in the world. Kids who are loving and kind. Kids who will grow up to live lives of compassion and gratitude, the same way we do.”

“Siblings aren’t all alike,” Malcolm said bitterly. The way Zahra and Asa were growing up couldn’t compare to the way he and Ainsley had grown up. He and his sister had never been protected from anything or anyone who wanted to hurt them. His kids knew nothing other than protection but those _what ifs_ that echoed endlessly in his mind wouldn’t leave.

Dani scooted closer, sliding into her husband’s lap. She hated when he got this way–when he started to forget where he was, instead choosing to lose himself in where he’d been–what he’d seen.

She cupped his face, forcing him to look at her. She wanted to calm the storm raging in the pale eyes that rivaled the moon in their brilliance–the same eyes he’d given to their firstborn. “No but ours will be. _Maliha_ will be the best parts of us because she comes from _us_ –us and no one else.”

“Maliha…” Each letter of their little one’s name dissipating the heaviness that had taken root within him. Malcolm looked up at his wife, hoping that this would be the face he’d see when he looked at their youngest. “What does it mean?”

“It’s means ‘beautiful’ in Arabic and I think it’s important to remember that everything we have–the life we’ve built together–after the dust has settled is truly _beautiful_.”

Malcolm glanced down where his hand absently rubbed her stomach, his thin platinum ring–the same one Dani wore glinting in the overhead light, reminding him that his wife was entirely right. “Can I make another confession?”

The corners of Dani’s full lips twitched up in a smile as one of her hands carded through his hair. “While we’re at it…”

“I’d given up on living until I met you–until I really got to know you,” Malcolm said honestly, watching her expression, bringing her hand to his lips and gently brushing a kiss over her emerald ring. “I really had, but you came into my life and I brought myself back because of you.”

Malcolm knew Dani would never judge him. Truly, he judged himself more than she ever could, but he didn’t want to make her sad. So many of the things he’d shared with only her about himself–things Martin had done to him and things he’d done to himself. All of those things had broken her heart and as good as it felt to unburden–free–himself, he _hated_ to see the hurt in her eyes that existed entirely for him.

“As you know–as you’ve seen–there were so many times I came close to dying…but it wasn’t until I was on my knees holding that landmine, staring at your face did I realize that I truly didn’t want that at all. Right then, you made me want more.”

“I wanted more too.” Dani answered quietly, her heart in her eyes as a slow smile crossed her lips. “I really thought you were gonna die that time but I wanted the chance to get to know you better. I wanted you to confide in me. I wanted your secrets and I wanted your smile too. I just wanted… _you_ and eventually I got what I wanted–three times over.”

“Three…I still can’t believe it.” Malcolm looked up, smiling–amazed at how his wife always knew just what to say. Whenever he felt out of control–when the noise in his head was too loud, only _she_ stifled it when no one had ever been able to.

“Neither can I and I assume you have a middle name by now…” Dani said, hoping to chase away those shadows for good. Nothing pained her more than for her husband to think for a moment that the little life they’d created in and out of love would turn out to be something violent–something unrecognizable and so far away from what they were. She knew what Malcolm came from and despite his father, Watkins, Endicott– _he_ wasn’t that way–they couldn’t make him that way.

Malcolm smiled, his eyes crinkling adorably. “I do. I was thinking Giselle…after–"

“My grandma.” Dani finished for him, already feeling the tears form–closing her throat. 

Her grandma, Giselle Francois, who’d always worn colorful caftans and headscarves. Who’d always wrapped her up so tight she could feel her grandmother’s heartbeat. Who’d always cooked traditional Haitian dishes–recipes Dani would one day find the courage to cook for her family even though she knew she could never make them like her grandma used to. Who’d also given her a love of Earl Gray tea and taught her everything she knew about life and loving herself–the same things she’d one day share with her daughters.

Her husband wanted to pay homage to that.

“Yeah…since I never got the chance to meet her–to _thank_ her. I thought this would be the best way to do it,” Malcolm replied, gently wiping away the tears falling freely down her cheeks.

Dani never shared much about her family not even to her husband of five years who’d always supported her, validated her and listened to her. Many of those memories were just too painful to relive and Malcolm never pushed her as no one understood that sort of thing more than he did. 

The little she had shared off and on as they were really getting to know each other when they’d first started dating, he’d remembered 

“My grandma passed away when I was 18 and...I remember kneeling at her bedside when she was in Hospice, begging her not to leave.” Dani tried to keep her voice steady, unused to sharing such things. Malcolm rubbed her back as he looked up at her, gentle encouragement reflecting through his crystalline eyes. This was the sort of thing she’d done for him countless times but he was _always_ ready and willing to do the same for her if he needed to.

“I…I begged her to stay because without her, there would be no one left who loved me and she smiled as she squeezed my hand and told me ‘Dani, one day someone will come along and love you so much, you won’t know what to do with it,’” she whispered as both pain and joy came together to break her voice.

“Your grandma sounds incredibly wise,” Malcolm smiled softly as he laced their fingers together over her stomach. “And I hope _that someone_ has made her proud.”

“More than you know,” Dani whispered against his lips.

–––––––––––––––––

After giving Zahra and Asa their snacks, making sure they were contentedly settled downstairs, Dani made the trek to take a look at everything she hadn’t been allowed to see. 

Today, she’d been largely on her own at work as Malcolm had stayed at home to finally finish constructing Maliha’s nursery. 

The team had been surprised as each time this happened, Malcolm grew fanatically overprotective over her. That said, he’d checked in several times and she’d reassured him that she was fine, she wasn’t in any pain, and she could handle dropping off and picking up the kids from daycare on her own.

Any sort of design was her husband’s wheelhouse and due to his flair for the dramatic, Malcolm had refused to allow her to see Maliha’s nursery until he was finished having the walls painted as well as various things delivered and rearranged in the way he wanted it.

Malcolm met her at the top of the glass spiral staircase, kissing her in greeting. The excited light in his ice clear eyes told her he was finally done but that wasn’t what had her distracted. 

“Is that my shirt?” Dani took in the faded gray NYPD shirt what was oversized and fell to mid-thigh on her but fit her husband perfectly.

Malcolm looked down as if he’d forgotten what he was wearing before shrugging, pushing a lock of dark chestnut hair behind his ear. “Probably, but it’s not like you don’t wear all of my shirts from undergrad. None of which were in my drawer this morning.”

Dani rolled her eyes, pushing him with her shoulder playfully. “The same place you found _that_ shirt, you could’ve taken one of your shirts back.”

“I could’ve but this one smells like you,” Malcolm pouted, giving her puppy dog eyes–the same ones that appeared in both of her kids and had melted her from the beginning. The eyes that made both him and them appear far more angelic than they actually were.

“You big baby,” Dani rolled her eyes once again, a smile stretching across her lips as Malcolm laughed, wrapping an arm around her, his hand coming to rest on her stomach as he steered her toward the finally finished nursery. 

“I know, angel. I’m excited too.” Malcolm spoke to her stomach as his fingers lightly rubbed a place where a little foot had tapped his hand as he opened the door, his smile all dimples.

Dani gasped as Malcolm guided her through the threshold of the nursery. 

Beautiful didn’t begin to describe what her husband had done to the largest of their many spare bedrooms. The walls were painted a calming ecru color, one of them he’d made into an accent wall–a silk tapestry covering it with dark green leaves and peach flowers embroidered on it. In the corner, a peach colored canopy hung from the ceiling with a plush cushion–something Mali would get enjoyment out of once she got a little older and began to crawl. A fluffy rug the same color as the walls covered the dark hardwood floor.

Malcolm had ivory shutters installed over the bay window with an overstuffed peach toned chair situated right next to it, a place they would both spend time rocking their little one.

She knew the nursery would look amazing as Malcolm did nothing by half-measure but she hadn’t been expecting _this._

“Honey bun, it’s perfect,” she sobbed as she took in the adorable Baby Moses basket bassinet, before walking over to the elaborate ivory crib, trying in vain to wipe away her tears. Dani knew her hormones were out of control, but she really was overwhelmed by just how _perfect_ it was.

“I’m glad you think so. I was thinking we’d go for a Swan Lake theme this time,” Malcolm smiled widely at the use of his absolute favorite nickname, motioning to the stuffed swan seated in a small woven chair adjacent to the peach one by the window, before wrapping her up from behind, resting his chin in the crook of her neck.

“I love it.” Dani lightly ran her fingers over an incredibly soft peach blanket neatly draped the side of the crib. _Maliha Giselle Bright_ written in hunter green script–her favorite color. “When did you get this?” she looked over her shoulder at her husband, trying not to cry even more at the fact that he’d bought their little one’s first blanket.

“Not too long ago and since Mali is due in June and I figured that cashmere would be a bit warm and the woman at the boutique extolled the virtues of merino so I thought this would work.” The gleam in Malcolm’s all but translucent blue eyes enough to blind her as he softly kissed that space just below her ear. “Oh and I almost forgot.”

Dani watched as Malcolm quickly went over to the lovely ivory wardrobe with swans carved into the wood by the door that would most assuredly be filled with clothes in short order before handing her a small turquoise blue bag. 

Malcolm had given her enough of these blue bags over the years for her to know that inside was likely something beautiful. 

Reaching inside and slowly opening the lid on the matching turquoise blue box, Dani gasped for the second time in about twenty minutes. Tiny Diamond solitaire earrings. “I know you’re gonna get her ears pierced at some point so–”

Dani turned around, suddenly throwing her arms around her husband, taking him by surprise. Her fingers tangling in the hair at his nape. She held him as close as her six months pregnant belly would allow.

“I take it, I’ve done well,” Malcolm laughed softly. His hands drifting underneath her black v-neck, running along the ridges of her spine.

“The nursery, the blanket, the earrings...thank you.” Dani’s earnestness always broke him. She never expected anything and that was the reason he always wanted to give her everything. She leaned back, her big brown eyes tearful.Malcolm smiled as he gently wiped her cheeks. 

“I do only for you,” he said simply, riffing on something she’d told him long ago when they’d first started dating.

He’d been overwhelmed and awestruck when he’d finally confessed his feelings only to find that Dani _wanted_ him too. As much as he’d been agonizing about his feelings for his partner, starting a relationship with her was something else entirely.

He’d worried incessantly about disappointing her as he had far more experience with being left than actually being with someone. He’d told her that he wasn’t good at relationships as they sat in a little booth at a tea room in the East Village on a rare day off.

“I don’t think that’s true either,” she’d smiled over the rim of her mug of Matcha tea and he’d believed her but he still wanted to know what she expected of him so he could know exactly what to do.

Sensing his anxiety, Dani had reached over the table and covered his hand with hers. “Bright, we’re partners. I want your support, your encouragement, your loyalty–that’s all.” At the last one, he had the decency to look ashamed as he’d given her anything but at one time. “You know, it’s a really lonely feeling knowing that no matter what, I have to do for myself because all I have is myself.”

That had never left him and from then on, Malcolm wanted to be the one– _the only one_ –to do for Dani. He wanted to show her that he could–that he _wanted_ to–and now as he stood in the third nursery but the first he’d designed entirely on his own, nothing pleased him more than knowing that he had.


	3. Chapter 3

Dani shifted, wondering just when she’d be able to wake up and not feel like she’d been run over by a Mack truck. The doctor had told her that this last one would be the hardest and she’d been prepared for pain but she hadn’t been prepared for _this._

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Everything had been fine except that Maliha had arrived about a month early. The experience had been rather strange as she couldn’t see or feel anything due to anesthesia and the screen blocking her view of the delivery. She’d kept her eyes trained on her husband who sat beside her, holding her hand and occasionally pressing kisses to her knuckles. He couldn’t see anything either but his face was the picture of calm.

Malcolm was miles away from the frantic, hyperventilating mess he’d been when she’d delivered Zahra. Gil needing to threaten him several times to keep it together. He was absolutely amazing as she’d delivered Asa, coaching her through it. His calm voice and the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm as he’d held it to his chest, getting her through what had been the toughest moment of her life, a final push she didn’t think she had in her.

Malcolm was just as calm then. She remembered taking a deep breath as she felt a strange pressure on her abdomen. He saw the beginnings of panic in her eyes and had kissed her fingers, “She’s almost here,” he’d told her encouragingly, his nearly translucent eyes impossibly soft.

She’d relaxed then. She was moments away from meeting her littlest one. She’d started feeling _odd_ , especially when Malcolm let go of her hand. She thought she heard someone mention cutting the umbilical cord and tiny cries from far away. Something was happening only she didn’t know what and her body felt too heavy. Forcing her eyes to open as they felt too heavy too, she didn’t see the warm tenderness in her husband’s pale eyes anymore, she saw _fear_. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, was their baby okay but she couldn’t make her mouth move and then everything went dark.

Dani remembered waking up after she didn’t know long and being greeted by _pain_. A pain unlike anything she’d ever experienced–unlike anything she could’ve comprehended. Forcing herself to focus on anything that wasn’t _that_ , she realized after some time that she was no longer in the delivery room.

She was in a spacious hospital suite. Large white and peach teddy bear shaped flower arrangements as well as more traditional rose bouquets covered the room, masking that antiseptic hospital scent she hated so much. The one that reminded her of death. All of the panic that had began to build the moment she opened her eyes, slowly ebbed away.

“ _I have so much to give to you. And my heart has so much room for you and everything you are–everything you will be. I love you to the moon and back, my angel and your Mommy loves you too. She loves you so much_.” she’d looked up, following the whispered voice of her husband speaking to a little peach bundle in his arms. The early morning light bathing the two of them in gold as he sat in a chair by the window.

Dani didn’t trust her voice so she didn’t speak as she knew the tears in her throat wouldn’t let her. She only watched them. The radiant smile on her husband’s face as he gazed down at their little one–their Maliha–made all of the pain in her body not feel so bad anymore.

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Blinking a few times as to clear the cobwebs and her momentary reverie, Dani looked down only to find a little hand at her chest, directly over her heart.

Somewhere between the time she’d gotten up early to feed Mali and easing back into a fitful sleep, Asa had snuck across the hall and cuddled up next to her and gazing down at her baby boy, just like that moment in the hospital room, the pain shooting through her abdomen didn’t feel so bad anymore.

Asa still being little didn’t quite understand that this was normal–all things considered. Dani knew that this wasn’t normal for _him_ , seeing his Mommy sleeping all the time when he was so used to her running around the house ,either hurrying him and his sister along in the morning or keeping them out of trouble at any other point in the day.

Her baby boy was _so_ worried about her and she understood why. The five days she spent in the hospital recovering were the longest Asa had ever spent away from her. She’d overheard her husband on the phone her first night in the hospital, asking Asa to be strong for Mommy in that calm, gentle way Malcolm always spoke to their son as the two of them understood each other intuitively–and her baby boy had.

Always wanting to make Daddy proud, Asa had been her little man, taking it upon himself to watch over his Mommy. Each day, at some point Dani woke up to Asa smushed up against her but not too close to her tummy where it hurts, but just to be near her. His big, serious eyes that couldn’t decide whether they wanted to be brown or gray were always watching to see if she was in pain or needed comfort.

Carding her fingers through his increasingly shaggy deep golden brown waves–something Daddy already swore he’d take care as soon as he had a spare minute–Dani felt the tears prickle the back of her throat.

As much as she didn’t like anyone worrying for her–especially not her three year old son–it still made her emotional to be _loved_ this much–a love she never thought existed until her love bugs.

Asa stirred, sitting up and looking so much like Malcolm did in the morning–bleary eyes and wild bedhead. “Are you okay, Mommy?”

“Honey, I’m okay.” Her fingertips running along his temples, wishing she could get a smile out of her baby bear instead of his ever-present concern.

Asa frowned, looking even more like Malcolm with his head tilted. “Then why’re you crying?”

Dani smiled softly as she didn’t even realize she had been. She gently brushed Asa’s deep golden brown beach waves away from his forehead. “I’m just _really_ happy to see you.” It was the same thing she’d told his father when he’d asked her something similar, the moment she woke up in the hospital.

“Are you sure?” Asa asked as Dani sat up, grimacing. His adorable little face becoming more worried as he scooted closer, giving her a kiss. “All better Mommy?”

Dani cupped her baby boy’s little cheeks, her heart absolutely melting at his sweetness before giving him a kiss in return. “All better, my baby bear.” 

Malcolm smiled softly from the doorway with Mali snoozing in his arms, watching his son being loved entirely by Dani and Dani being loved entirely by his son. It was something he’d never experienced with his own mother. Jessica didn’t love in that way and truthfully with her, Malcolm didn’t either. 

He couldn’t imagine sharing moments with his mother like the ones Asa shared with Dani daily–ones like this morning. His mother had never been the most nurturing and he would assume that was why he’d fallen so hard and so deeply for a woman who was. But whatever his mother had been when he was younger had completely disappeared the night of his father’s arrest when they went from being a family to three individuals who just orbited each other.

“Where you going?” Asa asked as Dani slowly sat up.

“The bathroom. Mommy has to shower,” Dani said softly, musing his hair as she gingerly got out of the bed. The simplest of actions taking everything she had these days.

Asa scooted out after her, holding his mother’s hand.

Malcolm smiled amusedly as he with Mali took a seat on the leather bench–the cherubs’ preferred way to sneak into bed with them, entirely soft that they now had one more who would do the same. “Ace, buddy, you don’t have to escort Mommy to the bathroom.”

“…No, Daddy. She needs me…I have to…” Asa looked up at Dani, his little brow furrowed.

“Thank you, honey. Always looking out for me, just like your Daddy,” Dani smiled at their son before shrugging at her husband–a sparkle in her deep brown eyes.

Malcolm shook his head. _His son_ a perfect gentleman. It was strange. As terrified as he was to have a son, Asa was everything he could ever want and more than he ever expected. His little man made him proud _every day_.

He’d never wanted his son to be just like him but as he was learning–that wasn’t so bad. In fact, it wasn’t bad at all–not as Asa was _him_ but all of the good and genuine parts. The parts that loved and trusted. The parts that would do anything to protect Mommy just as he would.

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As per the doctor’s orders, Malcolm made sure Dani moved around but being his overprotective self, he didn’t let her move too much. Across the hall to Mali’s nursery and down the stairs as he held her close to his side with Asa following close behind was about as far as she was allowed to go. Her boys were the best and Dani tried not to let her physical limitations get her down, though it was hard as she wished she could do more than just find another place in the house to sleep. 

_The First 48_ playing in the background of the living room as she laid on her side waking up from a nap, her hand lightly resting on Mali pressed up against her as Malcolm had brought their little one to her after helping her settle on the couch and covering her up a soft navy blanket. Dani glanced down, realizing that she couldn’t move her legs.

Zahra from somewhere in the house at some point had tip toed over to the center couch to join them, her little arms wrapped around Dani’s legs.

Dani reached down, tucking a stray curl behind her love bug’s ear. Zahra stirred, her big ice blue eyes blinking up at her. “You wanna get under the cover, baby?”

Zahra shook her head. “I don’t wanna hurt your tummy,” she said seriously. Dani bit back a sigh. Her baby girl was worried for her too. She could count on one hand how many times she’d seen Zahra look so serious as her love bug had all of Daddy’s playfulness, his impishness and penchant for excitement. She loved looking at those big blue eyes and seeing a light in them _all of the time_ that she only saw in Malcolm’s, _some of the time._

“You won’t, I promise. Come behind me,” Dani scooted over a bit, making room between her and the couch. Mali whining a bit at the sudden movement before being soothed by her mother’s fingertips. Zahra stared at Dani for a moment–looking so much like Malcolm despite her face starting to look more and more like Dani’s own–before deciding it was okay.

Zahra slowly shimmied into the little space that her mother had made for her before resting her chin on Dani’s shoulder, their cheeks pressed together. Dani reached back, cupping her firstborn’s face–a little girl who’d allowed her to love in a way she’d never thought possible. 

“Love you,” Dani gave her a kiss. 

“Love you too, Mommy. Lots and lots.” Zahra murmured sleepily, rubbing her face on Dani’s in that way she always did. Her soft snores quickly lulling Dani back to sleep.

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Malcolm glanced up as she saw the door to his study open. Asa walked in, dragging his favorite blanket–the one in Harvard crimson with the University’s crest embroidered on it. He’d gotten it for their son purely in retaliation for Dani discretely hanging a Notre Dame pennant over Zahra’s bed as she was adamant that was where they’d send her to college and Asa close to home at Columbia.

Malcolm smiled watching his own version of Linus take his customary spot on one of the leather couches in the study and wrap up in the Harvard blanket with one of his picture books. Such an occurrence wasn’t unusual as his son would quietly stay sometimes for hours just keeping him company.

“Everything good on the home front?” Gil asked from his office at the precinct, Webex being pretty much the only way they communicated as Malcolm hadn’t left the house since Mali was born. They had a new case and he was trying to do the best he could from his own office at home. “How’s Dani and the baby?”

“They’re good. Mali…is _perfect_ ,” Malcolm couldn’t help the soft smile that spread over his features at the mention of them. He hadn’t shared with Gil or anyone else the complications Dani had, he couldn’t bring himself to vocalize what had been the most terrifying time of his life but none of that mattered so much knowing that they were both at home safe and healthy. “Dani is recovering, though she wants to do more…”

“Tell Powell to take it easy,” Gil said sternly, leaning forward on his elbows. His heavily mustached mouth turned down–his patented concerned father look. “How are the suspects?” 

Malcolm smiled as Dani’s little nickname for Zahra and Asa had caught on. “They’re amazing, they’ve been looking out for Mommy just as much as I have.”

“And you…how are _you_ doing, kid?” Gil asked, peering at him closely, leaning in on his elbows. He had to admit, however, miraculously that Bright looked more well rested now than he did at any point during that first year he returned to New York.

“I’m good too,” Malcolm glanced down a bit, knowing it was absolutely true.

“Are you sure? I mean, two toddlers, an infant _and_ a wife would be a lot for anyone to handle.

Gil watched as Bright’s mouth quirked up in that know-it-all way he’d seen since the young man he’d practically raised was a teenager. “Then it’s a good thing that I’m not just anyone.”

“Don’t I know it,” Gil chuckled. Bright’s ability to multitask was the stuff of legend, but he was just glad that now Bright wasn’t running himself ragged obsessing over cases and chasing after ghosts–he was being a good dad and a good husband–he was being who Gil had always thought he could be. “But still, if you need some help–"

“Gil, sorry, give me a second.” Bright motioned away from the camera, speaking softly and going out the screen before returning with Mini Bright, his son, Asa as he positioned the three year old on his lap. 

“Hi Grampa,” Asa murmured as Bright casually rested his palms on both sides of the little boy’s head–an incredibly affectionate gesture Gil couldn’t help but smile at.

“Hi bud, are you helping your dad out?” It was incredible how much Asa looked more like Bright every time Gil saw him. Though Asa had Powell’s tan complexion and now slightly moppish wavy hair that could be contributed to her, everything else was _Bright_. The precocious little boy had truly earned his middle name–Malcolm.

“Yes, sir.” Asa answered seriously, looking up at the older Bright, who smiled and nodded in agreement. 

Though Asa was much younger, Gil couldn’t help but be reminded of the kid _he_ met all those years ago. The kid with the quiet voice and the inquisitive nature he took on stakeouts–something Gil would love to do with his grandson when he was older.

“Good, I’m glad to hear it.” Gil smiled at the both of them. “Are you sure you don’t need any help, kid?”

Gil had been there in the delivery room when Zahra was born and he arrived early that next morning after Asa was born but it had been a little over 24 hours before he’d been notified about Mali’s birth. Powell had looked exhausted and more than a little out of it but _happy_ as she held their newborn. Bright looked happy as well but he’d never been able to hide things from him and Gil could see something off in those blue eyes of his. He’d seen the flashes of that spooked puppy dog look.

Bright and Powell liked very much to keep to themselves after the births of each of their kids–something that displeased Jessica greatly. Gil wanted to make sure Bright knew that he–they–didn’t have to do everything alone. 

“You know your mother and I–"

“On that note, I’m gonna have to end this call,” Bright said quickly, his eyes going cartoonishly wide. “Hey, buddy, click that button right there. The one that says leave meeting.”

“Asa, don’t listen to him,” Gil said as Asa’s doe eyes–eyes that had the same silvery tone as Bright’s–curiously looked between him and his father. “Kid, just give her a call. She thinks you all have five feet out the door.”

“And what does that mean?” Malcolm resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his mother choosing this time to be dramatic.

“She thinks you’re gonna leave New York. I mean, there’s not much holdin’ you here anymore when you think about it.”

Truthfully, that thought had crossed his mind. When Malcolm came back to New York, he’d felt like something was pulling him back. After he’d gotten fired from the FBI, he could’ve gone anywhere and done anything but the city had a hold on him. Not really the city– _his father._

The secrets and the scars of his childhood, he had to go to the source. He’d thought that if he got closer, he’d find the truth. He never did–not from Martin anyway.

Malcolm looked down at his son, gently brushing his too long dark golden brown hair off his forehead, running his fingers though hair that was almost identical to his own. The truth he hadn’t even sought had found him and it was the one he now felt with greater urgency to protect.

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“You know if you wanted tea, I could’ve made you some,” Malcolm said leaning against the island as Dani rummaged through the cabinets likely looking for the tin of loose Earl Grey tea leaves.

“Bright, just let me do this _please_ ,” Dani groaned, pouting cutely. He knew she was getting a little antsy not being able to do more than walk across the hall to Mali’s nursery and occasionally down the stairs. “Besides I think you deserve someone making _you_ tea for all you’re doing these days.”

It was true, Malcolm was holding down the fort entirely on his own–something Dani felt endlessly guilty about.

Malcolm quirked a brow. “Dani, I’m your husband…this is why you married me.”

“I married you for the good business,” Dani smirked at him over her shoulder.

Malcolm snorted, “Wow…I'm insulted…and _very_ flattered.” He lightly wrapped his arms around her waist, carefully probing the stitches on her abdomen, making sure she hadn’t ruptured them when reaching into the cabinet. “Is that your _special_ tea?” he asked watching her whisk the now familiar golden mixture.

When Dani had moved into his old apartment in Tribeca shortly after he proposed, she’d made it her mission to get him to start taking better care of himself. That started with making him eat more than black licorice and cherry Jolly Ranchers and she’d also started making him turmeric tea. 

She’d said that she remembered him saying on the day they met that most food made him sick and that turmeric supported both digestion and immune function so maybe it would help him. He’d complained as he did every time Dani tried to make him eat something healthy but his heart swelled knowing that it was just one more way she wanted to take care of him–another way she wanted to care for him.

As much as he complained, Malcolm found himself asking her to make it for him more and more. He wasn’t sure if it was just the tea or Dani’s warm dimpled smile showing that she was proud of him for doing better for himself too. 

It became known around the house as “Mommy’s special tea” as they kids watched with fascination as Dani added cinnamon, ground black pepper as well as fresh ginger and raw honey to the strangely colored drink.

Zahra somehow always seemed to sniff it out, finding him when Dani made it, climbing into his lap and asking for some–which Malcolm always obliged.

“It is,” Dani smiled as she poured the mixture into a sauce pan, heating it on the stove. “The one your mother thinks is drugged.”

“There’s a shocking lack of self-awareness on her part,” Malcolm replied dryly, resting his chin in the crook of Dani’s neck. He remembered shortly after they were married, his mother accusing Dani of having him brainwashed so this bit of information didn’t surprise him.

“What do you mean?” Dani looked at him over her shoulder, frowning.

Malcolm shrugged, “I mean, my mother used to lace my tea–chamomile, of course–with sedatives.” 

“Ugh, did she know that makes you feel trapped? Also you hate chamomile and then didn’t The Surgeon drug you too?” Dani scoffed, her lip curling and her brows furrowing–one of her _many_ looks of haughty disgust–disappointed but not surprised at yet another example of Jessica’s maternal malfeasance. “I mean, there’s a reason none of _my_ children have rooms at the manor...and they never will.”

Malcolm knew his wife would feel that way and that was why when his mother offered to have nurseries installed for Zahra and Asa, he’d politely declined. 

Dani would sooner throw herself in front of a bus than let any of the kids stay overnight in the home he grew up in. She knew the horror that house has seen and she lived with the trauma he has seen–trauma that was hard for him to deal with even now–and the idea of physical or emotional harm, of their kids feeling even the slightest bit of the terror he was made to feel was something his wife would _never_ allow.

Malcolm didn’t even bring up the idea of the kids having rooms at his mother’s to Dani because he didn’t want to end up having to stay in his old room at his mother’s because of it.

“Unrelatedly or relatedly, I guess. You ever think about us moving on?” Malcolm asked the one thing that had been on his mind since the call with Gil earlier in the day.

“How so?”

“You remember how I told you that the apartment was feeling a bit small after Ace was born? Well, moving here to Tarrytown wasn’t my first thought. I honestly thought about moving away, you know, away from New York.” Malcolm watched as Dani turned off the range to face him fully, he now had her full attention. Her lips twitched up in a slight smile and he saw something pass over over her expression. “What?”

“It’s kinda funny because I was thinking about the same thing at one point. You remember our trip to Boston when I told you how I felt about your mom?” Malcolm would never be able to forget that. They’d been married for a little over a year at that point but Dani had still been incredibly hurt over his mother preferring another girl for him, despite Dani being very much in the picture then and the rather chilly reception of her once they’d gotten together that ensued. “When I confessed how I felt, I was so close to asking you if we could move. I didn’t wanna deal with it– _her_ –anymore.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I had actually found us this really beautiful home in... _Chicago_. I was gonna show it to you, it was more modest than this one but it was in a great part of the city where we could still raise our family but still be _us_ too. It would’ve been perfect–a new chapter for us,” Dani finished quietly, her beautiful face turning wistful.

“Why didn’t you ask me? You know I’d give you _anything_ you ask for,” Malcom said quietly, wondering if that perfect new chapter was something she still wanted.

Dani smiled softly as she poured his tea, “That’s why I didn’t ask. You were so sweet and understanding, I could see in your face that you’d do anything to make me feel better, but I didn’t wanna do that to you. I know this is your home and how important your family is to you. Me feeling better didn’t matter if it meant you being unhappy.”

Malcolm stepped closer to his wife, reaching for her hands. His thumb brushing over her emerald ring. “You know, that first night you brought me home, Gil asked me why I came back after I was fired from Quantico. I told him that ‘home is where the heart is’ and I think that’s true...my heart is with you, Zahra, Ace and Mali. The four of you are my home.” Dani smiled sweetly–emotion written all over her beautiful face. Her eyes misting as she pressed the hot mug of tea into his hands before pulling him into the living room.

He placed the tea on the glass coffee table before helping her settle on the couch, wrapping an oatmeal colored blanket she’d had for years around her shoulders. He settled in beside her, reclaiming his tea as he flipped on _The First 48_ , something that was guaranteed to relax her just as it relaxed their son.

Chicago and the idea of moving away was still fresh on his mind and Malcolm wanted to ask Dani more but before he could, he followed his wife's eyes as she lifted her head from his shoulder, seeing Zahra coming down the stairs in her pink Moomin pajamas, rubbing her eyes, her dark curls already wild.

“Is that Mommy’s special tea?” Zahra mumbled standing in front of them, looking a bit unsure. Usually, their four year old would scramble in between the two of them but because Mommy’s tummy hurts, she didn’t know if she should.

“How does she do that every time?” Dani’s eyes sparkled with amusement. Malcolm had always said he didn’t have ESP as the ability to pay _very close_ attention was what made him a good profiler but with Zahra seemingly possessing this same ability, she wasn’t so sure.

“It is, you want some?” Malcolm shook his head, grinning before answering Zahra. He reached for his sweetheart, pulling Zahra onto his lap, wrapping his free arm around her so she fit neatly in between him and Dani without the possibility of her accidentally catching Dani’s stomach with a stray elbow or knee.

Zahra nodded as he helped her drink, holding the mug for her. Dani scooted closer, resting her head on her husband’s shoulder once more watching as their firstborn commandeered his drink the way she always did and the impossibly sweet smile on Malcolm’s face as he watched her do the same.

Dani hadn’t thought about Chicago in quite some time and while her previous disdain and distrust for her mother-in-law had evolved into a polite tolerance, the idea of moving on especially as she looked at her first two loves, stirred something within her–a something she wouldn’t be able to ignore so easily.

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“Hey,” Malcolm said softly, padding back into the master suite from across hall. He’d carried a conked out Zahra back to her room after she and Dani had fallen asleep barely a few hours into the first 48 just before feeding and putting Mali back to sleep. Literally the only perk of of being a chronic insomniac was being able to let his wife rest whenever their new little one cried during the night–something he’d happily done with both Zahra and Asa when they were infants. “How are you feeling?”

Dani sighed as she adjusted the heating pad on her stomach, trying to get comfortable enough to fall back asleep. “I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” Malcolm turned the lamp on before sliding in next to her, retaking his place on his side of the bed before tenderly brushing a curl behind her ear.

He could see the sadness in his wife’s dark eyes and it worried him. He knew Dani was going through more intense hormonal changes after recently giving birth and also making sure the doctor removed the possibility of ever giving birth again. 

During the transition after each of their kids, he always worried about Dani developing Postpartum Depression and he always wanted to make sure she was okay. He knew very well what depression felt like. He knew the pain that clawed away at his insides with no relief in sight. He knew what it was like to be screaming for help but with no one to hear it. He would never want his wife to suffer in that way and he wanted her to know that he was there.

“You know you can tell me if you’re not, right? I mean, it’s okay to not be okay. If you wanna talk to someone, I’ll find you the best psychiatrist in the city.”

“Like that crackpot Gabrielle?” Dani narrowed her eyes and Malcolm knew his wife well enough to know _exactly_ where this was headed. “What’s she gonna do? Tell me having sex with a box boy will magically solve all my problems.”

“Well, considering you call _me_ that sometimes. I’m willing to give it a try–not before six weeks though.” Malcolm said without skipping a beat, waggling his brows at her as he knew he was currently talking to Dani’s hormones.

“I can’t believe a doctor told you something so stupid and I can’t believe you listened–actually I can.” Dani ignored him, glaring as she crossed her arms. “And that girl you liked was _so tacky_ too like way to have standards, Bright.”

“Well, you know I’ve never been picky…” Malcolm allowed, carefully wading through the minefield that was Dani’s hormones.

“That’s nothing to be proud of, box boy.” Dani grumbled, narrowing her eyes once more, unwilling to let him off the hook as she never did on this particular subject. The “tacky” girl in question had been dead much longer than their relationship–though Malcolm was now honest enough to admit that the term could’ve been used very loosely–had lasted but did that matter to his wife, no it did not.

“You’re unbelievable,” Malcolm couldn’t help but laugh at her as he buried his face in the crook of his neck, inhaling her Dove soap scent. Malcolm leaned up to give her a kiss knowing that if Dani felt good enough to roast him, it wasn’t likely that she was depressed. “But seriously? Are you okay though? You know you can tell me if you’re not.”

Dani sighed, her hormonal irritation passing as quickly as it had arrived. “I know, babe and you know I would. It’s just…I hate that I really am an invalid now. My love bugs don’t bum rush the door in the mornings and walk on me, attacking me with kisses like they’re so worried about me now and it’s so sweet but I–.” Dani’s voice broke and he could see the frustrated tears filling her eyes.

“Come here.” Malcolm gently coaxed Dani towards him, wrapping his arms around her as she tucked her head underneath his chin. “I know you’re used to the kids treating you like you’re indestructible but the best thing you can do for _all of us_ is recover.”

–––––––––––––––

All he wanted was for Dani to recover. He’d come so close to the very thing he’d feared the most from the moment Dani told him what she’d planned to do. He’d understood her reasoning as three kids was more than enough and more than they’d ever anticipated. That said, the risks involved were never far from his mind. 

Malcolm had promised himself that he wouldn’t stress his wife out with his obsessive WebMD reading and he didn’t, but he hadn’t imagined those worst case scenarios playing out right in front of his eyes. 

He’d been preternaturally calm as he sat beside her during the birth of their third child. Malcolm knew he had to be as he could practically feel Dani’s trepidation. Not being able to feel what was happening to her body wigged her out and he’d wanted her know that all would be well, but as he watched Dani’s dark lashes flutter against the top of her high cheekbones and her grip on his hand grow lax once he’d returned to her side after cutting the umbilical cord of their new little one–he didn’t know that himself.

Malcolm had been in many terrifying situations before. He’d been kidnapped and tortured. He’d faced down psychotic murderers countless times–including the one who’d sired him–but he’d never known a terror like that one as the doctor ordered a transfusion to replace the blood his wife had lost.

That terror was raw and abject but he couldn’t give into it not as his newborn daughter was placed into his arms. She'd known something was wrong and she wouldn’t stop crying. He’d known right then that he _had_ to be strong for her. Malcolm couldn’t allow Maliha’s first moments of life to be traumatic.

Malcolm had held their littlest one close–her little cries quieting as Maliha knew her father had her–while he watched his wife be transported to the recovery room. He’d been _sick_ with worry, not knowing if that would be the last time he’d ever see her.

Malcolm couldn’t lose himself in _those_ thoughts. If there was something that Dani absolutely required of him–it was his presence. He had to be present for Mali as he knew that was what Dani would want. When she _couldn’t_ –he _could_. That was how their partnership worked–from that night in the hospital waiting room to everything else that followed.

He’d looked down at the little pink blanketed bundle he’d just been given, completely mesmerized by her beauty–her _eyes_. The darkest brown he’d ever seen. _Dani’s_ eyes. It was a sign. All of the things Malcolm had feared from Mali being claimed by the darkness that had plagued him all his life to Dani leaving him–going someplace he couldn’t follow–fell away as he stared at those eyes. The warmth and safety in them reassured him that all truly would be well.

Malcolm remembered ordering roses, _knowing_ that Dani would wake up. He’d ordered enough to fill the rather spacious hospital suite because he knew Dani hated hospitals. She hated that medicinal, antiseptic hospital smell and he didn’t want the birth of their youngest to be something Dani associated with fear–with trauma. He wanted the scent of roses to put her at ease.

The only thing that helped him then was talking to Mali. Talking to their newborn kept his mind from completely running away–from keeping his world from crashing down around him. He sat by the window, pouring his heart out to their littlest angel who looked so very much like her mother, only to look up at the hospital bed where his wife had laid unmoving for hours and see her watching them, tears pouring down her face.

“Are you okay?” Malcolm had forced back the sob building in his chest at the sight of her awake, but he had to be strong once more as he hated seeing her cry and he couldn’t stand the idea of her in pain. 

She nodded slowly, “I’m just really happy to see you.” Her voice was rough from disuse but the sound of it was enough to bring him to his knees.

“ _Here_ ,” he quickly gave a sleeping Mali over to Dani, wrapped up in the peach blanket he’d gotten for her. “She has been waiting to meet you.”

He’d gently scooted in next to her, wrapping an arm around his wife’s shoulders as she gazed down at their youngest for the very first time. Malcolm watched Dani _weep_ when Mali opened her eyes, staring up at her with the eyes they shared.

“ _She’s so beautiful_ ,” Dani whispered, her voice breaking on a sob as she held their baby tighter to her chest, her emerald ring catching the light streaming in from the window as her fingers lightly rubbed their newborn’s back. Quietly sobbing harder when Mali drifted back to sleep within seconds, _knowing_ the beat of her mother’s heart and the sound of her voice.

“ _She’s you_ ,” Malcolm kissed his wife’s curls, his tears dampening her hair as he allowed himself to finally release everything he'd had no choice but to keep inside.

––––––––––––––––––

“I just feel so…useless. You’re doing so much for us like I wanna help.” Dani sniffled as Malcolm kissed her curls just like he did then, his mind drifting back into the present.

“Darling, almost a week ago, you did the most amazing thing for the third time. How on earth can you be useless? You amaze me.” She did. Those five days Dani spent in the hospital after Mali’s birth, Malcolm watched Dani recover well enough to go home all without the use of narcotics. 

He knew how much pain she was in and how the analgesics she’d requested only did so much, but she was adamant about not putting herself in the position to relapse. In her eyes, any pain she felt was temporary, but she wouldn’t allow herself to let her family down. Malcolm wasn’t just amazed by her, he was in _awe_ of her.

“Really?” Dani looked up at him, uncertainty clouding her beautiful face.

“Really.” Malcolm leaned down, kissing her slowly, then pulling back and kissing her again and again–what she did to him when he was feeling uncertain and needed cheering up. Her laughter spilled over his lips–forever grateful for the sound that fed his soul. “I wish you could see with my eyes, then maybe you’d know just how extraordinary you are.”

Dani groaned, pressing her face into the crook of his neck, her lips at the base of his throat. “Stop making me so soft, Malcolm Bright.” 

He laughed softly as he gently situated her head on his chest, the spicy French cologne that clung to all of his clothes easing her as he wound his fingers through her curls. He held the heating pad to her stomach so she wouldn’t have to do it herself with the other arm that wrapped around her. “It won’t happen again.”

“I don’t believe you,” Dani smiled, leaning up, kissing the edge of his stubbled jaw.


	4. Chapter 4

Dani brushed her fingers over Mali’s soft dark hair as her little one slept peacefully just underneath her chin as she sat on the balcony just outside the master suite. This was how she spent most of her mornings lately, in her robe, sharing these little moments with her youngest. She honestly didn’t anticipate that she would be _here_ again. Mali was her most unexpected surprise but one she loved with everything she had.

Dani tried to not let the guilt that swirled around in her mind take root but it was hard. She wasn't able to be there for her youngest. She wasn't able show her baby how much she loved her from the moment she entered the world as she had with both Zahra and Asa. For eighteen hours, she wasn't able to do _anything_. She was eternally grateful to her husband for making sure Mali knew she was loved and protected but as with everything else, Dani hated that she couldn’t have done more.

“I love you, Mama,” Dani whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Mali’s head, forcing herself away from thoughts that only made her sad as she remembered that she very much had the here and the now. The nickname, her little inside joke as her youngest looked identical to her. The few baby pictures of her she’d taken from her grandmother’s house long ago proved that.

It was also Mother’s Day and she wouldn’t be sad on a day that reminded her of all she had to be grateful for. Malcolm had asked her a few days ago if there was anything in particular she wanted and of course, she told him that there wasn’t. She had _everything_.

“Don’t do anything insane this year, Bright,” she said yesterday morning as she fed Mali from the overstuffed peach chair by the window in her nursery. 

“What? Insane is kinda my thing,” Malcolm gasped wide-eyed, looking up at her from his place by her feet, sitting cross-legged.

“Bright, I’m serious,” Dani smiled as she put Mali over her shoulder, patting her back. “When you said you wanted to reaffirm your commitment to me, you gave me this emerald ring but you gave me our little one too. That’s more than enough for me."

“…So you’re saying I should return the Porsche…?” Malcolm appeared to be talking more to himself than to her.

“You did not buy me a Porsche,” Dani rolled her eyes, laughing before she watched Malcolm’s eyes dart nervously.

“ _You didn’t!_ ”

“I didn’t…maybe…you’ll see,” Malcolm said, rising suddenly. He kissed the top of her head and then Mali’s before ducking out of the nursery, effectively vanishing into thin air before she could even respond.

Dani shook her head at the memory. She knew what she told him not to do but she also knew the _Big Brain._

––––––––––––––

_Or do you not think so far ahead?_  
_'Cause I been thinkin' 'bout forever_  


Dani heard Frank Ocean’s smooth croon ring out throughout the house as she slowly descended the stairs with Mali in her arms. This song played in the town car on the way to the heliport at Pier 6 on her very first date with her husband. It was a song she’d always loved but she was surprised that Malcolm apparently liked it too.

She’d also wondered if those lyrics meant something to him because they’d meant _something_ to her. Dani had never thought much about forever before but as soon as she got to know the troubled profiler, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. On that ride to what ended up being a helicopter to D.C., she wondered if _he_ thought about forever too.

“Happy Mother’s Day, Mommy!” Zahra cheered throwing light pink rose petals in the air and watching them cascade over her head, giggling. Clearly he had.

Dani’s eyes widened as she took in what her husband had done to their living room. Massive pink and white flower arrangements lined every wall as well as the glass staircase. He’d also covered the floor in pink rose petals up to her ankles.

Malcolm had done something similar on her very first birthday she’d spent with him, it had been about a month since their engagement and two weeks after she’d moved in his old apartment. She’d told him that she didn’t really celebrate her birthday. It wasn’t really a day worth celebrating with no family or friends. Those days came and went like all the others. _You have me_ , Malcolm replied, boyishly earnest and he’d proceeded to give her the first of many amazing birthdays that followed.

“Thank you, love bug,” Dani smiled as her oldest was already having the time of her life. 

Asa looked less impressed with the flowers as he gingerly waded though the petals, wrapping his arms around her knees. Dani gently shifted Mali to one arm as she hugged her baby boy, carding her fingers through his messy waves. “Are you okay, Mommy?”

“I’m okay, honey.” Dani wished she could lean down give him a kiss without pain ripping through her abdomen as she knew her son needed to hear those three words every morning. He looked up at her with Daddy’s wide eyes–only browner–and she gently smoothed his furrowed brow with a fingertip.

“Happy Mother’s Day, Darling,” Malcolm wrapped his arms around her and Mali from behind, kissing the back of her head. She leaned up, kissing his stubbled cheek, murmuring her thanks.

“Open your presents, Mommy!” Zahra ran up to her, her big blue eyes–also Daddy’s eyes–full of excitement, bouncing on her toes.

“How about we let Mommy eat first, sweetheart?” Malcolm replied, warmth evident in his voice at their firstborn's exuberance.

“Daddy made breakfast,” Asa supplied helpfully.

“And we helped!” Zahra chimed in, raining rose petals over her little brother’s head.

“ _Stop it_ ,” Asa pushed his older sister away.

“ _Guys…_ ” Malcolm said lowly before Zahra could fully raise her hand in retaliation. The Suspects were best friends but they could also turn the living room into the Octagon in seconds. Dani didn’t have to be looking at her husband to know he was giving the kids _the look_.

It always amazed her how her husband could stop any particularly miscreant-like behavior in its tracks with one look, whereas _she_ had to both physically separate and sternly chastise the Suspects for them to get the idea that shoving, fighting or hair pulling was _not a choice_.

Daddy was usually the minister of chaos in the house, but if _he_ indicated there was a problem–there most certainly was one and just like now, the Suspects immediately knew to tighten up.

“Sorry,” they responded in unison both giving them Malcolm’s signature pouty shrug. The would-be shoving match halted for the time being.

Dani shook her head at them, unable to hide her smile. Her love bugs were _a lot_ but they were uniquely hers and even when they misbehaved, she treasured all of her moments with them as even those were moments she never thought she’d have.

––––––––––––––––––

After Malcolm insisted that they let Mommy eat first–he’d made all of her favorite things just as he had the morning of her very first Mother’s Day–her love bugs escorted her by the hand to the center couch in the living room, helping her through the rose petals, before running off to get her presents.

Dani watched Asa try to walk a white box that was honestly bigger than he was. “Buddy, do you want me to do it?” Malcolm asked with obvious amusement as he situated Mali underneath his chin, her tiny hand clutching the material of one his old shirts from undergrad.

“No, Daddy, I wanna do it,” Asa replied as Malcolm knew he would. That was _his_ gift and _he_ had to bring it to Mommy. Dani smiled softly, looking like she might cry at her son’s adamance as she slowly got up from the couch to intercept the large package with a rather watery _thank you, honey._

Dani sat back down as Asa scooted in beside her with Zahra on the other side of her. The large white box had a silver ribbon and the word _Dior_ stamped on the front of it. Opening the box, gently unwrapping the white tissue paper, she gasped as she pulled out a large navy and gray canvas tote with the French fashion house’s signature logo stamped all over it. 

This particular bag was quite the commodity as she’d seen pictures of various celebrities and influencers carrying it when she’d idly flipped through one of Jessica’s fashion magazines during a particularly lengthy Whitly family state of the union.

“I love it,” she leaned over to kiss the top of her son’s head.

“It has your name on it,” Asa informed her matter-of-factly. She flipped it over and saw that it did have _Dani_ stitched into it in gray blocked letters across the center of it. She looked up and saw the quirk of her husband’s lips–getting this bag personalized–that was definitely him.

“Open mine, Mommy,” Zahra said eagerly, giving her a smaller but identical box. Dani happily acquiesced, lifting the lid to reveal a gorgeous quilted pale blush toned lambskin handbag with four letter charms spelling out the designer, hanging off the handle–definitely something Zahra would pick out herself.

“Thank you, baby. It’s beautiful. I think I’m gonna need a _special_ outfit for this one,” Dani grinned at her four year old fashionista.

“I can help!” Zahra responded gleefully and Dani knew she would as her love bug loved nothing more than dressing Mommy up. Malcolm actually had a picture of the two of them in his study, wearing matching pink teddy bear coats with their curls held back by pink knit headbands.

“I’m counting on it,” Dani said, peppering kisses to her love bug’s forehead and temple, drawing laughter that always reminded her of Christmas bells as Zahra like Asa settled against her side.

Malcolm stood up, gently shifting Mali to one arm before reaching into the pocket of his slim dark jeans–the ones he was going to throw out years ago because of the holes in the knees but kept only because she said she loved them.

He’d looked at her strangely, wondering why as in his opinion they were “gross” but she did for the same reason _he_ loved seeing _her_ in her faded oversized NYPD t-shirts and bonnet because no one got to see her that way but him. Dani loved that Malcolm would never show a side of himself that was less than absolutely perfect to anyone but _her_.

He handed her a now familiar small red cloth bag, his nearly translucent eyes twinkling. “Is this one from you?” Dani asked softly, knowing already what was in it.

“No, this one is from Mali.” Her husband smiled her favorite smile–the one that made his eyes crinkle in the corners. The one that showed his heart.

Dani reached into the bag, her eyes welling. It was her fourth ring. When she’d gone back to work after being on leave with Zahra, it had been a little hard to resume her old life–one where she didn’t spend all hours of every day with her loves. She’d gotten two simple silver rings made. Both of them had three marquise cut birthstones–one had Malcolm’s and the other one had Zahra’s. She stacked those two rings in between her platinum wedding band, comforted that even if her loves weren’t physically beside her, they were always close to her heart.

After Asa was born, Malcolm had surprised her with another identical ring and now he’d done the same with Mali–only she hadn’t realized that Mali’s May birthstone was an emerald too. Emeralds symbolized rebirth and love, that was why Malcolm had given her the vintage emerald and diamond ring when he'd asked her to renew their vows. 

As Dani slid the new ring onto her right hand with the others, she realized that nothing in life could be more perfect than _this._

––––––––––––––––––

“Thank you for the best Mother’s Day yet,” Dani whispered against her husband’s lips. She watched his smile grow and that strange light go into his crystalline eyes, the one that always told her that he was up to something.

“But wait, there’s more,” he bit his lip excitedly, his dimples appearing. Those were the exact same words he spoke to her on her first Mother’s Day when he’d surprised her with an actual _house_. The lake house that was actually a mini lake mansion in New Hampshire where they spent every Father’s Day weekend.

“Bright…”

Malcolm checked the Patek Philippe on the inside of his wrist. “It should be arriving right…now.” He gave Mali to her before scooping Asa up into his arms and grabbing Zahra by the hand. Ice blue and pewter eyes lighting up–eager to see what Daddy was up to. “Come on, let’s give Mommy her last gift.”

Dani with Mali followed the three of them outside just as a delivery truck was pulling up to their driveway. _What did he do?_ Dani braced herself as her husband’s flare for the dramatic and his oftentimes over-the-top generosity was usually enough to knock her down.

Her jaw dropped as a shiny black SUV with a huge red bow on the hood was wheeled out of the back of it. “Bright, I told you not to do anything insane…” Dani said weakly as the SUV version of the gunmetal gray Bentley he drove would _definitely_ constitute as insane.

“I know and I listened. This is a Bentayga _Hybrid_.” Malcolm grinned at her, obviously pleased with himself as the delivery driver gave him two key remotes. “It's functional _and_ environmentally responsible.”

“Bright, I said–" Dani sighed knowing the _Big Brain_ had gone rogue once again.

“You said to return the Porsche and I did.”

“ _But–_ "

“And I admit, the Turbo Coupe was a bit much but I think this suits you much better,” Malcolm continued on as though she hadn’t said anything. He pressed the key remote, unlocking it and laughing as Zahra and Asa immediately ran to their Mommy’s shiny new toy. He opened the door and lifting both of them into the driver’s seat, delighted as Mama Bear's gift clearly met their approval.

“It’s beautiful but _why do you do this?_ ” Dani turned to him, tilting her head and sucking her lips in the way he’d first seen that night she and the team had been called to his mother's house to investigate that phone call from Watkins.

He hadn’t been thrilled for his pretty co-worker to uncover more evidence of his dysfunction as she stood in the place his father had been arrested for killing 23 people, but that little gesture had relaxed him somehow and he didn’t feel so judged, especially seeing the softness in her dark eyes as she looked at him then.

Malcolm smiled down at Mali, watching as those dark eyes gazed up at her mother before returning his attention to Dani. “Push present number three, I had to step my game up,” he replied easily with a shrug before wrapping an arm around her, tucking them both close to his side.

Though Dani accepted his explanation with an amused shake of her head, it was only partially true. After delivering their littlest angel and all of the trouble Dani had in doing so, it hurt him deeply to see his wife in so much pain partially because of him and he wanted to do something special for her.

That said, when Malcolm did do these types of things, he knew it looked like he was just going overboard as his mother constantly remarked, but he always thought back to those times his insecurity kept him from giving Dani the consideration she deserved. He knew the depth of feeling Dani had for him and Malcolm knew how long his fear of rejection kept him from giving her even half of what she had continuously given to him.

He wasn’t the best at expressing himself but the gifts he gave his wife were his way of showing that he didn’t take her love, her care– _her_ –for granted. He wanted to show her that she meant just as much to him and then some. Malcolm _never_ wanted Dani to feel unappreciated the way he knew he’d made her feel in the past.

–––––––––––––––––

Dani curled up on the patio couch on the balcony outside the master suite overlooking their expansive backyard and the Hudson off in the distance, enjoying the unseasonably warm May night and the last hour of what was the most amazing day with the four people she loved more than life itself.

Turning to her husband who’d settled beside her after they’d put their four year old daughter and three year old son to bed, she couldn’t help staring at him– _marveling_ at him, especially knowing where they’d been and what they’d been through. Malcolm had always told her that he’d never known how to love before her–that she’d shown him how.

Though Dani understood, her husband had shown _her_ a few things as well. He’d shown her what it was like to not keep people at arms’s length for the first time. He’d shown her what it could feel like to love with her _whole heart_. He’d also shown her that as much as she gave, she could get so much more in return.

“What?” Malcolm asked curiously, tilting his head.

Dani grinned, reaching out and tucking his dark chestnut hair behind his ear. “You know, when I first met you, I thought you were super weird and also super cocky.”

Malcolm quirked a brow. “You still think that.”

“Yeah, but I also thought you had the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen.” Malcolm smiled her other favorite smile. That sweet little one that showed his dimples as he looked down bashfully. “I thought they were _really_ pretty and _really_ …sad. I look at them now and they’re not so sad anymore–in fact, they’re not sad at all,” Dani finished quietly, hoping her husband knew just how proud of him she was.

Malcolm thought back to when they’d first met, when they were just getting to know each other and he remembered that sadness–a sadness he’d long thought was apart of him. A sadness that had lived with him–within–him every second of every day.

“I never thought I could _not_ be sad,” Malcolm admitted, meeting the deep brown eyes of the first love of his life. “I never thought I could have this–not with you. Believe it or not, when we first met, I thought _you_ were _really_ pretty and _really_ out of my league.”

Dani rolled her eyes, a sardonic smile playing at the corners of her full lips as she pulled her short black satin kimono robe tighter around herself. “Yeah, okay.”

Malcolm laughed softly. “I’m serious. You’re so beautiful and smart and kind. I didn’t think I deserved anyone like that. It’s why I went after what I thought I deserved.”

“As much as I drag you about box girl with her cloven hooves and forked tongue, it really just makes me think more about how you thought about yourself back then. You were okay with abuse and deception because you didn’t know there was anything else out there for you,” Dani said pensively after a moment.

She’d spent so much time being angry and hurt over Malcolm’s actions with her in the past but it took her realizing just how many scars–how much _fear_ existed in him to blatantly choose pain over hope. That alone made her to want to be patient with him again. It made her to want to show him the way because he really wouldn’t know otherwise.

“It’s true and you’re right…I didn’t think much of myself. I was happy to believe a lie because it was better than being alone. That’s...really sad, isn’t it?” Malcolm said quietly. Dani watched as Malcolm grew plaintive, old hurt dimming the light in his pale eyes.

As wonderful and just _full_ as their lives were now, sometimes Malcolm needed reminding that then wasn’t now and he was _never_ going back there again.

“Honestly, Bright. It breaks my heart because you were never alone. You _always_ had me and now you’ll _always_ have us–all of us.” Dani said softly, her fingertips lightly brushing their beautiful newborn daughter’s nearly black hair as she slept peacefully in his arms, wrapped up her peach blanket. Mali’s tiny hand curled around his index finger as it did each time he held her.

Malcolm smiled as he heard tiny footfalls and the door to the balcony opening. Zahra and Asa sneaking out of their rooms to join them and their new baby sister as they always did if the opportunity presented itself.

His wife locked locked eyes with him, her eyes sparkling as she scooted over, making room for them on the patio couch. She wrapped her arms around her love bugs as Zahra and Asa gently angled close to Mommy’s side, kissing the top of their heads.

Dani was right. Dani was always right.

All of the terrible things he’d seen. All of the terrible things he’d done and were done to him, the mistakes he’d made that he still paid for–those things were there and perhaps they always would be but that pain, that trauma, that heartache and loss could never compare to _this._

Happiness was nice but happiness could be taken away. _This_ was joy and joy was forever.

**Author's Note:**

> MASSIVE thanks to @2amEuphoria for being my personal hypegirl for this and ALWAYS indulging me in my love for all of the Baby Brightwells. The song mentioned in chapter four is “Thinkin Bout You” by Frank Ocean


End file.
